PONCE INLET, Fla. — The owner of Racing’s North Turn, a prominent Ponce Inlet beachside eating and live music venue, promised to repair the facility and reopen after its seawall and foundation were damaged by Hurricane Nicole.
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All day Friday, locals stopped by the area to check out the building after local social media feeds were flooded with photos of the damge from the storm surge.
“We are working diligently to reopen and look forward to seeing everyone as soon as possible,” the owner wrote in a Facebook post thanking the community for its concern.
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One of the sightseers shortly before sunset was kitchen manager Shaun Hagan, who had nervously looked at the pictures sent his way Wednesday and Thursday.
“I don’t remember it being as far down,” Hagan noted, pointing to the sand level between the building and the beach access ramp. “(The storm) eroded all of this completely away. That’s amazing.”
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Hagan said he hoped the owner would be able to restore the restaurant quickly, though he expressed doubts when looking at the exposed foundation.
“I’m going to stay positive,” he said. “Hopefully this isn’t as bad as what it seems.”
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